Sam's Sojourn at the Clinic
by I'maMePanda
Summary: Nathan had told the rest of the seven that he wasn't going to be drawn into any silly prank wars. Didn't keep them from trying. A YP 'verse ficlet set during the prank war.


A/N: We're ba-ack! Another collaboration from your dynamic duo! I'maMePanda and MamaBear2Two. The prank war is heating up...or is it? Set in the YP 'verse on a dusty day not too different from any other, the boy's make their own entertainment. No actual frogs were hurt in the making of this fic. And thank you to everyone who reviewed the previous prank fics, you make us very happy.

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Nathan had told the rest of the seven that he wasn't going to be drawn into any silly prank wars. Didn't keep them from trying. A YP 'verse ficlet set during the prank war.

Humming as he tidied the clinic- the last patient had been Mrs. Fulch, a young mother from a small ranch east of town, she had one child with a broken thumb and three others who'd run round the clinic 45 times during the quick visit, hollering and whooping- Nathan suddenly stopped. He could've sworn he heard...something. Tipping his head to the side, he listened in the now blessed quiet, but heard nothing. Shrugging, he began to hum once more as he righted the chair that had been knocked over in the children's hurried rush for the door and paused again. He thought he heard...rustling. Shaking his head and thinking he needed a break if he was hearing things, he straightened the covers on the cot and turned towards the door.

He was two steps out the door when he remembered Inez telling him that Old Simon had been sniffling something crazy the last few days. Turning around with a quiet groan, Nathan wondered whether he could just give Inez the packets of medicine and let her try and get the grumpy old cuss to take it-she was the only one the man did much more than growl at, and he'd already had a plenty long day. Still, as his feet dragged back along the slightly uneven floorboards, he knew he'd rather deal with him when he was just sniffling and griping than let him get sick enough that he needed to stay in the clinic. It was hard enough to keep the place clean as it was. Pulling open the drawer he kept stocked with teas and grabbing a packet, Nathan yelped and stumbled back as something slimy and cold crawled up his hand, jumping at him as he jerked his arm back and forth to dislodge it. It was only as it flew towards his face and Nathan nearly fell on his backside that he realized it was just a little frog, and probably more scared than he was after being shut up in a drawer.

Scowling, he wondered which of Mrs. Fulch's little terrors had decided to leave him a 'present'. Nathan wouldn't put it past any of them, even the little girl.

Only, suddenly he realized he could hear laughter...

Whirling, he tried to pinpoint where it was coming from. He knew the little monsters had left with their mother- a stifled snort had him heading towards the window. Eyes narrowing as he got closer to the muffled sound, he had a sneaking suspicion that he knew the owner of that laugh.

Opening his mouth to snap at one gone too far little brother-he'd told them all he wanted nothing to do with this prank nonsense-he was cut off before any words escaped.

"Nate! Don't step on my frog!"

Stopping quickly and letting out a sigh that could've knocked his guilty brother right over, Nathan bent, searching around and finally finding the small green amphibian hiding behind one of his desk legs. Scooping up the small creature who was only seeking safety before it could scamper away, he cupped it carefully between his palms, and looked back towards the window where he could just see the top of JD's head.

"John Daniel, get in here."

The head shook. "Nuh-uh."

Sighing, Nathan headed for the door, his hand cupped gently around the small green creature. Stepping out onto the porch, he could hear JD scuttering away and he couldn't help but shake his head.

"JD, where'd you get this poor thing?" Nathan took a few steps around the corner, JD backing away as he did, "and what were you thinking, locking him up in a drawer?" Nathan fixed his brother, finally to the end of the porch and with no way to backup any farther with a look, if he didn't want the poor thing squashed his plan hadn't been the cleverest. JD hesitated, grinning at him as he hemmed and hawed a bit over what to say. Nathan raised an eyebrow and JD shrugged, looking over his shoulder like he thought the porch might have grown a couple feet when he wasn't paying attention. After a minute of thought, and clamping down on a grin, he shrugged back, "Fine then, guess he's mine now." Nathan turned around, not waiting for the predictable yelp of protest from JD as his back suddenly became unattached from the porch railing and he clambered after him as Nathan started back towards the door.

"What, Nate, no he ain't! Give'm back!" JD was at his back now, trying to peer around his shoulder. Nathan would take him back to the pond where he assumed JD must've found him later, but for now this was too much fun.

"Nope, if you ain't gonna take care of him proper why should you have him?"

"Nathan!" It was wailed out, but Nathan knew the difference between JD raising a fuss and actually being upset and just shrugged again, not even looking back at JD while he did.

"See you later," Nathan finished stepping through the open clinic door and attempting to close it behind him. JD got in his way before he could, shaking his head and looking a tinge more frantic than Nathan would've expected.

"But it's Cricket's, I promised him I wouldn't let nothing bad happen to it!" Nathan considered this for a moment, then shook his head. He should've known one of those Fulch kids was involved after all. Little terrors always seemed to be everywhere, though Nathan didn't think one of them was old enough to come to town on their own.

"Guess I can't use him in any of my medicines then, ain't Cricket who left him in my supply drawer." JD's jaw dropped in horrified indignation and he made a grab for the frog and Nathan's hands that the older man easily dodged.

"Nathan, that ain't funny! What're you doing yelling at me for not taking care of him proper when you wanna cut him up-" JD stopped midword, freezing as the blood seemed to drain from his face.

"You put frog parts in your medicine? I've drank frog parts?" Nathan couldn't keep a straight face anymore and started whooping with laughter, bending over and leaning against the door frame as his body shook from the force of it. JD continued to stare at him in horror, before quickly realizing what Nathan had done and, face heating a little, let out a loud, disgusted sigh at being tricked. He shoved at the still laughing Nathan's shoulder, rocking the solid man a little. "You're not funny," JD declared, sounding as imperious as Ezra could as he reached down to try and pry Nathan's hands apart and rescue the croaking animal.

Letting JD finally take the frog, and then using the back of his hands to wipe his streaming eyes, Nathan sucked in enough air to squeeze out, "Funnier than you."

JD huffed at him, and cradled the definitely unhappy with all the commotion frog to his chest, talking to it, "C'mon, Sam, let's go find Cricket." He turned and marched away muttering about Nathan not knowing nothing about what was funny, but the healer just smirked as he watched his little brother grumble his way down the stairs. Nathan knew who'd won there, and it was definitely him.


End file.
